Quit Smoking Cold Turkey

One of the best natural ways to quit smoking is the cold turkey method. That means you select a date that will be your last day of smoking and then you throw away the cigarettes. You simply do not smoke any more after that date.

Quitting cold turkey does not attempt to get you to stop by tapering down the amount of smoking you do. There are no aids such as the nicotine gum or nicotine patch. You just stop smoking. It is a difficult thing to do, but the good news is that if you make it past 72 hours without smoking, you have kicked the physical addiction. At this point you will start to feel miserable and cranky because nicotine is no longer flowing through your body. To combat the cranky feelings and headaches, some patients prefer to take an herb called St. Johns Wort or valerian root. (Click here for more info on herbal remedies). They are both mood stabilizers that can get a smoker through this difficult time.

Cold turkey quitters have to figure out what to do with their hands now that they are no longer smoking, and holding on to a stress ball seems to help. A stress ball is a small ball that can be squeezed in your hand when the desire for a cigarette is craved. Other smokers choose to suck on lollipops or take up chewing gum to stop themselves from picking up a cigarette.

The need for a cigarette is only psychological at this point, so it is a matter of learning new habits. A good habit to take up is exercise. If you aren’t used to exercising, then start out slowly by walking whenever the desire for a cigarette returns. This will make you a healthier person and can prevent weight gain that many people experience as a side effect of quitting smoking.

Quitting cold turkey may not be the easiest way to stop smoking – but it can work, especially if you get creative!